Historically, large computer software programs utilizing large databases were traditionally constructed in a mainframe environment.
The mainframe environment was one where a large data processing resource was interconnected to a large number of “dumb terminals”. The dumb terminals had minimal computational capabilities and were effectively utilized to display results on a screen and to input data from a keyboard. The terminal was primarily under control of the mainframe computer system which carried out almost all the computational activity.
For many years, large investments were made, and are still made, for developing software programs for such an environment. The desirability for higher and higher productivity levels in such an environment lead to the creation of “Fourth Generation Languages (4GL)” which sought to enhance a programmers productivity by providing for the automated generation of various code components including screen layouts etc. These 4GL programming languages normally utilized a series of templates which were filled in by a user and, after a subsequent “compilation” phase, the templates were transformed into interlinking code by a compiler system. One such 4GL language is the “Logical Information Network Compiler” otherwise known as “LINC” available from Unisys Corporation, which has the ability to create output for a dumb terminal screen and for GUI forms.
Whilst the mainframe environment dominated the computer industry for a number of years, the exponential increases in microprocessor power and memory capacity has lead to a proliferation of “personal computer” type systems having, in recent years, complex graphical user interfaces. Further, during the 1990's there has been an explosion in the interconnection of computers in a somewhat ordered manner in the form of the Internet providing distributed processing facilities, email, file transfer and in particular, worldwide web facilities. The rise of the Internet could be said to be primarily due to the high synergistic effects resulting from the somewhat seamless interconnection together of a large number of computer systems for the exchange of information. The rise of the Internet has been somewhat spectacular and has led to an acceleration in new software deployment and functionality. As a result, most organisations are keen to utilize the potential of the Internet to the maximum extent possible including adapting their systems to utilization over the worldwide web or to utilize the technology of the worldwide web such as browsers in a more severe manner on a closed loop basis such as via an intranet.
There is therefore a significant incentive to rapidly adapt the substantial investment previously made in mainframe type computer software applications to an Internet environment so as to leverage the potential of the Internet in organisational activities. It is also obviously desirable to facilitate the adaptation of mainframe type applications to the internet as quickly and inexpensively as possible.